


Death's Kiss

by loni_meow



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Character Death, Crying, Dancing, Fluff and Angst, I like mentioning something and then mention it again, Kissing, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, hi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-17 16:38:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18102350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loni_meow/pseuds/loni_meow
Summary: China gets to Rome while he's dying and gets the final chance to talk to him. He also is able to confess his feelings - but how will it be for him when he sees Rome again?





	Death's Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys ^^ so this is a "little" One Shot I wrote. Also fyi, I don't write accents. So, yeah... I hope you enjoy!

"Rome!", the Chinese man screamed as he saw the Roman lying on the ground without making any movements.

For a short moment, China couldn't breathe anymore, the fear that he died was too big to comprehend for this one moment. Then, he remembered that, despite being torn into two parts and now attacked from all sides, the Roman Empire still existed, so Rome couldn't die, right?  
He couldn't.

China still ran and got faster as he saw the chaos around him, the blood that Rome was lying in came into his sight.  
"Rome?! Please!", he begged loudly as he arrived at the body of his dearest friend, or no, his hidden love.  
He kneeled down as the brown-haired suddenly opened his eyes weakly, his breathing unsteady and he looked and behaved just like someone who is dying.  
_But_ _he_ _can't_ _be_ _dying_ _,_ China thought, no, begged, _he still_ _represents_ _the_ _Roman Empire._

At least that's what he told himself to give his not accepting of Rome's fate an explanation. But he knew it was time - deep under his hopes and prayings for him to survive and just live on after this battle. The Roman Empire wasn't anymore, that's just why China came here so fast, to be here for his last moments. But now, it was much harder to let go than he thought.

"Chi...na..?", he asked quietly and opened his eyes wider, shock replaced the weakness and tiredness in them. "What are you... why are you here? You should be in your country, with your people..."  
"And relax like nothing is happening while you are torn apart, attacked and... and... and dying... over here?...", China answered directly after him, even though his voice got much quieter with every word he said, his sadness coming over him. Was he really, _really_ going to loose his dearest?

Rome laughed at that answer and looked into China's eyes, his heart got warmer and more relaxed again at the worry and beauty in them, how he found it personally.  
"Well, yeah, that's what you should be doing", he meant and his tension slowly faded away because China was there. Just that calmed him down a bit.  
"You can forget that. I can't let you alone... not in this moment. Maybe I can... Maybe I can heal you again? I have a lot of medicine already."

China looked at him hopefully, but the Roman shook his head, causing the Chinese to quickly take his hand, that he had placed on his bleeding stomach.

"China, my dear... the Roman Empire has fallen. And so I will go now, I don't represent any real country anymore. My... my grandsons... they shouldn't know that I died like this. Could you please-"  
"Yes. Of course, I'll tell them that you... just dissappeared. Alright? But now, listen to me. Don't send me away now. I'll stay here with you. It's hard enough to... to loose you... in general... So please, at least let me stay with you", he interrupted to put up his own wish now, which was why Rome smiled again. It looked so weak and tired, but it was real and China knew that, so he responded with a smile, too, and his wasn't even that happy either.

He was sad and hopeless, he felt as if his heart was breaking. He didn't want to loose Rome, he had loved him for a long time and didn't find the courage to tell him, but right there, he finally started to accept that he had to let him go now.  
But at least he had the chance to say goodbye and confess, now that he was allowed to stay by Rome's side. Or at least he didn't say that he wasn't allowed to stay, so he just did it.

"I wish you didn't see me like this, too... It's, like, kind of pathetic. Lying in my own blood, not wanting to go yet... I wanted you to memorize me as the strong fighter, but the last time you'll see me is like this. And now... I-I also start crying...", he said, his voice shivering and breaking, while he closed his eyes and tears started to stream down his face.

China took a deep breath and leaned forward, so that their foreheads touched. He took Rome's face in his hands and wiped away his tears.  
"Rome... You're a hero. Nations fall, apparently. And... and you went with a fight. But that doesn't matter now. I'm here. And no one else is going to see this. I'm just here for you, not for your fame or anything. No one will know that I'm here, I'll only talk to your grandsons, because you wanted me to. You understood? Because I have to tell you something else before it's too late."

His eyes were half closed, as China leaned even closer, his long, open hair, falling down on the sides of his face. Rome felt, as if most of the pain just went away because of his warm and supportive little smile and the closeness, which is why he just closed his eyes for a moment, just so that he could collect himself.

Rome then opened his eyes and reached out with his left hand to bury it in China's beautiful, long hair.  
"I love your hair. Please, never cut it off", he begged weakly, before he began to give in to the comfort and looked at China with a smile, his hand slowly sinking.  
This had cought the long-haired man quite off guard and he blushed lightly.  
"I won't, don't worry. You know, cutting your hair symbolizes forgetting the past. And I wouldn't want to forget you, Rome. And hey, you still owe me a dance, right?", he said as he collected himself again, reminded that he only had a little amount of time left. He even saw, that the Roman became more pale and that his eyes closed a bit more. And as he mentioned the dance, his heart just felt as if it exploded. They once or twice had the chance to dance Roman dances together, and it was one of those things that made China fall in love.

"I need to confess you something..."  
"China..."  
"No, please. I... I'm already quite old, you know? But you where the first one that really won my heart. I... Rome, I fell in love with you. For some time now. And I just wanted you to know, maybe you're going to another place, maybe you'll remember this, maybe you won't... but..."

The Roman was smiling weakly as he looked at the Chinese man, who trailed off and didn't know how to get there again.  
But Rome, instead of saying anything, put his left arm, the one that was still quite movable, around China's back.  
"China, my dear... I love you... I love you too. And I'm sorry, so sorry, that I can't give you the relationship you deserv-", he started then, but all China did was interrupting him by leaning the rest down and starting to kiss him slowly. A few tears ran down Rome's cheeks and he tightened his grip around China's back while he kissed back immediately.

Rome closed his eyes and gave in, his heart racing, tears of joy streaming down his face and his lips slowly moving together with China's in some kind of harmony.  
They stayed at that kiss, while Rome's Hand on China's back cramped when he felt pain going through his body.  
When that happened, he bit down on China's lip accidentally, but the long-haired man just gasped, shivered and even let out a little moan when Rome did it more often because he liked to tease China with his last energy.

They broke the kiss and China took his chin into his right hand.  
"I'm so happy that I did it", he said, his face deep red and his eyes a little wet.  
Rome nodded, now getting actually weaker with every moment.  
"China... I think it's... it's my end now..."

Immediately, China leaned down again, hiding his tears through hungrily kissing him again, the last thing they could do now.  
Rome returned the kiss and felt how he got weaker and weaker. Still, he kissed China eagerly and hopefully, the taste of his lips was so sweet.  
But his death really did come this time, as China felt on his back. The strong grip loosened a lot and when he leaned back a bit, he saw that Rome barely could hold his eyes open.  
"Thank you... For making my death beautiful", he said quietly, causing China to not be able to hold back his tears anymore.

"I wish I could save you. But you'll be at a better place, I hope", he said and kissed Rome's forehead, before he went back to holding hands.  
Soon, his eyes closed all by themselves and his holding hands became weaker, too. So weak, until China started even more crying, because it eventually happened.

Rome died.  
The Roman Empire has fallen.

But suddenly, his corpse started to fall into little pieces and just disappeared after a few moments.  
Also, after a few moments, the two Italy brothers, he identified them through the way they talked, came to him. And because they had those curls of which Rome had two.

Those little things without any experience and stuff were searching for their grandpa. But China, tears still in his eyes and on his face, decided to go and comfort them, also tell them the lie that he had prepared.

So, he told them that it was peacefully and that he died just because he's not a nation anymore. He told them, that he just disappeared, without any pain or despair.

And in the end, China went back into his country too.  
He was actually traumatized.

Is this what people are calling war?

China thought so. And he wished to never ever experience it again.

...

"Rome...", he whispered, nobody else being able to listen to it.  
There he was, on a boat, surrounded by girls, which made China jealous. He was giant, probably because he didn't have to be at human height anymore, now that he's dead. But that still wasn't what made China so jealous and surprised in both ways.

His grip around the pot and the cooking spoon that he used as a weapon became stronger, so strong that his knuckles on both hands turned white. His lips were slightly parted as he wanted to say something but nothing came out. And while Rome sang a song, panic rose in his chest and tears stung in his eyes, memories rushing in.  
Why... Just why? Why did Rome had to be here now?

After all, seeing him reminded China of the lie that he had told the Italy brothers, and it reminded him of the truth and the way he actually despised war.  
Then, he let the cooking spoon fall to the ground, scaring Germany in front of him, who was still waiting for the fight to continue, and China's hand went to his own hair, tied up in a ponytail since some time now. When... when Rome died, he still wore it normal, not tied up.

All this hit him like a train, a really destroying and fast train. He just stared at the giant Rome who was singing, until he stopped and faded away. But after that, he may didn't stare at Rome anymore, but at the air where his appearance had been.

"China? Are you okay?" England asked, showing some worry in his voice, but speaking loudly, which was why China shuddered and let the pot fall, too. He took a deep, shaking breath and looked at England, who was mildly (or maybe not so mildly) confused.  
"Fine, aru. I'm completely fine," he managed to say, sucking in air because he had hold his breath before without even noticing it.

Quickly, he bent down and picked up his stuff, before he just turned around and went away, ignoring all the others looking at him, ignoring that they were at war, ignoring everything in that moment. And when he was far away enough, he started sobbing.

Seeing Rome brought up all his past feels. His hate for war, that he seemed to have buried for such a long time. Especially while being at war, it just hurt.  
He went on sobbing, more and more tears spilling out. What was this now? He felt so weak and his body was shaking. Was he having a panic attack?

This... this shouldn't be happening. He shouldn't be thrown back into panic so easily.

China closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. But as the image of Rome on the ground in his own blood, stab wounds all over his body, came back into his mind, his legs shook so hard, that he had to lean against a tree and sit down. He just began humming a little soothing melody to himself as he wrapped his arms around his legs that he had pulled tight onto his body.  
He felt the blood, tasted it from Rome's lips. He heard the terror, screams everywhere and saw all those corpses again.  
And he remembered the lie that he had told both Romano and Italy in order to protect them from the tough truth about their grandpa's death.

He closed his eyes and just wanted to sleep. For like, forever. He just didn't want to be there anymore, he had enough of fighting now. And even though he was sure of that right now, he knew he had to fight again next day. The World War was still going on,  and he couldn't leave his people behind, no matter how much he wanted to be dead right now. He wanted to be with the other ancients, especially with Rome.

...

Later that day, China found himself at home. Good for him that he could travel a bit differently than normal humans.  
He changed clothes and just wanted to go to sleep, as he suddenly heard noises behind him that sounded just like steps taken by a person.  
Slowly, he put his hands down on the high commode in front of him as he waited for the person to say something.

"...Sinae."  
_It's_ _Latin_ _,_ China thought, _no one_ _speaks_ _it_ _anymore_ _._ _And_ _that_ _voice_ _..._ _that_ _voice_ _..._  
Of course he knew who it is. There was no doubt that it was Rome who, apparently, was standing in China's room.

"It can't be," he said, "Go away. You're just part of my imagination, I'm alone."  
In fact, he just felt alone pretty much all the time. They all left him, no matter what he did.  
The scars on his body seemed to start itching at once, especially the big one on his back. He felt uncomfortable with all those scars, even though Rome couldn't see them in that moment.

But suddenly, when China came to peace with the thought that his imagination was just messing around with him, a strong hand appeared on his shoulder, which made him flinch and turn around to Rome.  
And actually, he was standing there. And he looked as good as before all those things with the fall of the Roman Empire happened.  
The Chinese man took a few steps back and bumped against the commode.

"H-How? Y-You're dead," he muttered confused and more to himself, still Rome heard it and put an arm around China's waist.  
He looked into the Roman's eyes and his own hurt as he was holding back tears.  
"Not for this moment. I'm here now. I was allowed to visit my dearest people. I was at my nephew's homes already and I just had to see you, now that I know that you're still there. I'm so glad to see you China, I missed you so much. I still need to pay you back."

China smiled slightly and shook his head.  
"That would be so beauti-"  
He was interrupted by feeling Rome's warm lips on his own, locked into a passionate kiss, which made China's heard flatter and his cheeks flush a bit.  
It was so real. It had to be real. The way Rome came even closer, the way he put his emotions into the kiss with China, he could believe it, he could believe that it truly was real.

Right now, he could kiss him back without having to taste blood. And so, he did.  
And he felt as if he was in heaven himself, and finally not alone.  
His hands now got some use and went up to Rome's neck, behind which they rested, so that he could hold himself quite well. Also, Rome started to tug on his ponytail hairdo a bit, which made China gasp surprised from time to time.

Especially when Rome suddenly broke the kissing and looked deeply into his eyes while he put his hands at the beginning of China's plait of hair to get off the pigtail ribbon.

That's where the other nation snapped out of his feeling-really-well-trance and basically jumped away from that touch. His plait was now a bit loosened tho, causing a few hair strains to come out.

"I-I'm sorry if I did something that made you uncomfortabe, it's just... I wanted to see it usual again," Rome said immediately and put a hand on China's cheek, smiling lovingly.  
The other one melted into the caring touch as he sighed and closed his eyes, goosebumps all over his body as he again realized, that all of this just had happened. He felt so well, even though it was just temporarily.

"It's okay," China answered then, "I don't wear my hair loose anymore because everyone thought I was a girl and kinda even made fun of it. And now... I don't want to go back to that again."  
Rome stared at him and blinked, showing that he was confused.  
"You're beautiful and manly enough with your hair loose, too," Rome said and came closer with his face again, but instead of kissing him, he rested his forehead against China's.

"I-... Thank you, Rome," he said and closed his eyes, feeling the warm and welcoming embrace before he felt even more emotions rushing into his mind, thinking about the old times.  
He put his arms around the dead nation and turned his head so that he could rest it on Rome's shoulder.  
"I miss those times where you were alive," he muttered into his ear and had to hold back a sob.  
Rome sighed and returned the hug, holding China even closer.

"Don't you want it to be like earlier for now?" the Roman asked, watching his love's reaction to that, before he just got a hold of the pigtail ribbon and took it off. This caused China's hair to loosen up in a really short matter of time and Rome was once being able to see China like he was before, still beautiful and somehow manly but with now loosened, long, thick hair.

Surprised and not very happy, China gasped and then gulped as he looked up to Rome, who held the pigtail ribbon in his hand now.  
"We have one moment, China. Let's embrace it," he offered while stepping back, holding out his hand.  
"What are you doing?" the Chinese man asked a bit worried, but again had to blink his tears away because of the soothing feeling of the long hair and its memories, both good and bad.

But just in that moment, everything was fine. They had a moment. A moment where everything would be alright. A moment where China felt good with wearing his hair loose.  
It was a magical moment. And what would make this even better, would be...

"I still owe you a dance."


End file.
